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Kochi, formerly Cochin, city and major port on the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, west-central Kerala state, southwestern India. Also the name of a former princely state, “Kochi” is sometimes used to refer to a cluster of islands and towns, including Ernakulam, Mattancheri, Fort Cochin, Willingdon Island, Vypin Island, and Gundu Island. The urban agglomeration includes the localities of Trikkakara, Eloor, Kalamassery, and Trippunithura.
Kochi was an insignificant fishing village until, in the 14th century, the backwaters of the Arabian Sea and the streams descending from the Western Ghats to the east caused the separation of the village from the mainland, turning the landlocked harbour into one of the safest ports on India’s southwestern coast. The port assumed a new strategic importance and began to experience commercial prosperity. Read the full article here.
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